It's Groundhog Day!
by Trekkie S. Monster
Summary: Groundhog Day...well not really but Georg is reliving the same day over and over again.
1. Chapter 1

Feb. 2, 1940 (A/N: The time (1940) probably isn't right, but bear with me.  
  
"Darling." Georg felt a soft patting on my cheek. Georg rolled over in his sleep and opened his eyes slowly. "Darling." His wife, Maria was looking at him worriedly. "Are you all right? You slept awfully late this morning."   
  
"What time is it?"  
  
"Half past nine."   
  
"Oh my goodness. Oh well. Best get up. Are the children awake?"   
  
"Yes they are." Maria turned her head to the door. "Liesl! Fredrich! Louisa! Kurt! Brigitta! Marta! Gretl! Children! Children, come! Your father's awake." The children came running in to greet him ("Father, you're awake!" "Max sent a telegram!" "Louisa and I were reading a wonderful story!" "Father! Why did you sleep in?" "Father, are you sick?" "What's wrong, Father?")   
  
Georg chortled, "Children, children. I'm fine. I'm just uh-" he turned to Maria, "going to uh-" He pointed to the bathroom. He left the bedroom, entering the huge bathroom, complete with two sinks. Brushing his teeth and washing his face.   
  
He headed downstairs and helped himself to oatmeal.  
  
"Father! Fraulein Maria-er-Mother is going to take us to the zoo! Mother said you could come too!" Marta had bounced down the stairs in her excitement.   
  
"That is, if you're feeling well enough, Father," Liesl appeared at Marta's side. "Children. I'm fine. All right?" He turned back to his oatmeal. "Liesl. What was it about Max with a telegram? Is Max all right?" He paused, and turned around frantically. "They didn't put him in the army, did they, my dear?"   
  
"I didn't read it, but the telegram is outside. Mother said it would be best if we waited until you were awake."  
  
"We were so anxious to see you wake up. We thought you were-you know..." Liesl trailed off.   
  
"Of course not darlings. Now go get Brigitta, Fredrich, Kurt, Louisa, and Gretl, so we can go to the zoo." Georg finished his oatmeal and headed to the front door to see if the telegram was there and what it said.   
  
It said this:   
  
HELLO GEORG -- STOP -- IT'S MAX -- STOP -- HOW ARE THE CHILDREN? -- STOP -- I'M DROPPING BY FOR A FEW DAYS -- STOP -- BY THE TIME YOU GET THIS I'LL BE THERE AT AROUND THREE O'CLOCK -- STOP -- OR FIFTEEN O'CLOCK FOR YOU MAYBE, BEING IN THE NAVY AND ALL -- STOP -- GOOD DAY -- STOP -- Georg found surprisingly another telegram from Vienna.   
  
DEAREST GEORG -- STOP -- I AM COMING ALONG ALSO WITH MAX -- STOP -- I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND -- STOP -- ARE YOU DOING WELL? -- STOP-- ARE THE CHILDREN WELL? -- STOP -- AND MARIA? -- STOP -- SEE YOU SOON DEAREST -- STOP -- BARONESS SCHRAEDER -- STOP --   
  
Georg couldn't decide to be happy, annoyed, or worried. Where will they stay? He thought. We have four bedrooms. One for Maria and I (double bed), one for Fredrich and Kurt (two beds, with one extra), one for Marta, Gretl and Brigitta (a bed for Brigitta, and a smaller double for Marta and Gretl), and one for Liesl and Louisa (two single beds). I suppose we could bring out a mattress in the boys' room and a mattress in Liesl's room, with Baronness sleep in Liesl's room, and Max in the boys' room. Georg stood there lost in thought of who sleeps where and.........was very nervous when Maria brushed past him on her way to the car, followed by all seven children. "Aah..." he murmured. "Darling, aren't you coming? What did Max say?" Maria pointed to their new car. "Hmm?" "Zoo?" "Yes. Oh yes of course." Georg starees into space again, andfelt around for the car, and got into the passenger's seat. "You're driving, Georg." "Yes. Oh yes of course." "Georg, what did Max say?" Maria repeats. "Uncle Max?" Louisa leaned into the front seat. "Yes, darling, Uncle Max is coming today. He said around three." Louisa turned around. "Uncle Max is coming!"   
  
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When they got to the zoo, everyone had different ideas: Liesl wantedto see the zebras, Fredrich wanted to see the wolves, Louisa wanted to see the gazelles, Kurt wanted to see the polar bears, Brigitta wanted to see the birds, Marta wanted to see the elephants, and Gretl wanted to see the lions. Maria queried, "Let's see. Now what shall we start off with?" "Birds!" "Elephants!" "Wolves!" "Lions!" "Gazelles!" "Zebras!" "Polar bears!" "Let's see each one at a time," Maria said fairly and firmly. "OK." All the children said gloomily. Sigh from all of them. Every place was a disaster. When Gretl tried to fly like a bird, she fell and hurt her knee. When the wolves growled at Marta, Marta had to run to Georg. The gazelles nearly trampled Kurt. The zebras' colors made Louisa think she was going blind. Brigitta began imitating the elephants and hit Fredrich's mouth. When Fredrich pulled the lion's tail through the cage, it growled at him, and even Fredrich was scared. Liesl's watching the polar bear's leap intimidated her...in a bad way. And then they met Max and Elsa.  
  
------------------  
  
Elsa grinned nervously. "This place is very lovely. I like the colors surrounding all the..." she shuddered... "animals' cages. They're so beautiful." Elsa seemed to be trying to keep her face into a smile.  
  
"Yes they are aren't they?" Maria looked at Elsa oddly.  
  
Max, sensing something not very good, hurried them along. "Come along Elsa. Let's see the bunny rabbits."  
  
"Oh yes!" Elsa seemed relieved. "With their white fluffy bodies and pink ears-"  
  
"They don't have to be white-" Brigitta butted in.  
  
"Oh yes dear I know, but they are so cute with their teeth and the way they just nibble on their food-do you think they'll let us pick them up?"  
  
"No." Brigitta said solemnly. "They never do."  
  
"Oh yes of course dear."  
  
With Elsa's babbling and Brigitta answering, and everything going on, the afternoon wasn't exactly going the way Georg had planned. He could tell Maria felt the same way.  
  
Everyone (though no one would admit it) was glad to go home.  
  
-------------------  
  
Elsa's thoughts were these: Georg has a much smaller house than before. It's so much more dusty and dirty.  
  
Georg could read her face, and felt rather uncomfortable.  
  
Elsa said hesitantly, "This new house is small but comfy."  
  
Maria nodded and corrected her, "The house is small and comfy."  
  
"Yes, of course, forgive me, now if you'll show me around?" Elsa said very fast.  
  
"Children." Georg gestured.  
  
They led her to the dining room.  
  
"This is the dining room." Fredrich gestured.  
  
"Where we...eat." Marta chimed in.  
  
"It's very nice...cozy...a nice place for nine people to live." Elsa stuck her elbow out, "accidentally" breaking a pot on a mantel next to the table."  
  
Georg decided to himself that this wasn't going to be the best three days of his life.  
  
-------------------  
  
The children and Maria sang and performed "The Lonely Goatherd" for the Baronness. Elsa wasn't impressed.  
  
High on a hill was a lonely goatherd  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo  
  
Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo  
  
Folks in a town that was quite remote heard  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo  
  
Lusty and clear from the goatherd's throat heard  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo  
  
  
  
O ho lay dee odl lee o, o ho lay dee odl ay  
  
O ho lay dee odl lee o, lay dee odl lee o lay  
  
A prince on the bridge of a castle moat heard  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo  
  
  
  
Men on a road with a load to tote heard  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo  
  
Men in the midst of a table d'hote heard  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo  
  
  
  
Men drinking beer with the foam afloat heard  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo  
  
One little girl in a pale pink coat heard  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo  
  
  
  
She yodeled back to the lonely goatherd  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo  
  
  
  
Soon her Mama with a gleaming gloat heard  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo  
  
What a duet for a girl and goatherd  
  
Maria and the Children:  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo  
  
Ummm (ummm) . . .   
  
Odl lay ee (odl lay ee)  
  
Odl lay hee hee (odl lay hee hee)  
  
Odl lay ee . . .  
  
. . . yodeling . . .  
  
  
  
One little girl in a pale pink coat heard  
  
  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hoo hoo  
  
  
  
She yodeled back to the lonely goatherd  
  
  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo  
  
  
  
Soon her Mama with a gleaming gloat heard  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hmm hmm  
  
What a duet for a girl and goatherd  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo  
  
  
  
Happy are they lay dee olay dee lee o . . .  
  
. . . yodeling . . .  
  
Soon the duet will become a trio  
  
  
  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo  
  
Odl lay ee, old lay ee  
  
Odl lay hee hee, odl lay ee  
  
Odl lay odl lay, odl lay odl lee, odl lay odl lee  
  
Odl lay odl lay odl lay  
  
HOO!  
  
A/N: I put all these chapters together, and it's really humid, so my computer's words are sticking. Bear with me. "How can we fit all of them in our house?" Maria almost screamed to Georg. "There are only a couple of rooms!" "Darling, I've got it all figured out." Georg smiled nervously. "All right." ---- "Good night, Kurt." Maria kissed him on the cheek. "Good night Mother." "Good night Fredrich." Maria kissed him on the cheek. "Good night Mother." Maria gave Max a look. 


	2. Chapter 2

"Darling." It was Maria. She was patting his cheek. Georg would later realize that this seemed familiar as well...but for now he was too busy contemplating the thought of getting up late...again. "Darling," Maria was saying. She had that worried expression again. "Are you all right? You slept awfully late this morning." 

"Yes, qu-what? W-what? Maria?" he said, trying to decide what was going on. The children rushed in talking at all levels of volume, sanity, seriousness, and truth as he said the following to his wife: Didn't we do this yesterday?"

"Georg?" Maria had obviously taken the two signs to prove that he was sick. He knew he wasn't. But he was. He had to be. And the roar of the children didn't help over his rattling, insane brain. He ran into the bathroom rather frantically, hurriedly pushing past his own children. He checked the mirror. It was him all right. Looking the same, feeling the same. But why...? What?

The ghost of shock had overcome him and he quickly tried to wash his face, and brush his teeth without completely losing his mind. Water ended up all over the bathroom. Poor Kurt tried to come in and see what was wrong with his father, but merely got splashed. Georg heard Kurt say from behind the door, "I think he is sick."

Liesl and Marta quickly ran in to tell him the news. "Father-"

"Not nowl!" he shouted, almost slamming the door on her fingers. He hung his head after she scampered out and seemed to calm down a bit. He left the bathroom and apologized briefly to Liesl and Marta.

"We got a telegram," Liesl said, as if in reply to his apology.

"Wonderful. From Max, right?" Georg said rather sarcastically, which was unusual for him, and upset his daughter slightly.

"Yes. How did you guess?" she asked, following him merrily down the obviously smaller staircase.

"Déjà vu," he simply stated, leaving her to ponder it while he departed for the kitchen. "Oatmeal? Maria? That's the same-I mean, er, same thing I wanted last night. How did you know?" he smiled nervously.

"And Daddy," Marta said, Fraulein Maria-er-Mother is going to take us to the zoo! Mother said you could come too!"

Liesl chimed in, "That is if you're feeling well enough, father."

"Uh-yes," he responded, certainly not as sure as the day-before. Was it the day before? He wasn't sure.

"Umm...oh yes, aren't you going to read the telegram?" Liesl asked persistenly.

"Of course dear," he said. He needed more evidence. This is what it said.

HELLO GEORG -- STOP -- IT'S MAX -- STOP -- HOW ARE THE CHILDREN? -- STOP -- I'M DROPPING BY FOR A FEW DAYS -- STOP -- BY THE TIME YOU GET THIS I'LL BE THERE AT AROUND THREE O'CLOCK -- STOP -- OR FIFTEEN O'CLOCK FOR YOU MAYBE, BEING IN THE NAVY AND ALL -- STOP -- GOOD DAY -- STOP - Georg, not-so-surprisingly found another telegram.

DEAREST GEORG -- STOP -- I AM COMING ALONG ALSO WITH MAX -- STOP -- I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND -- STOP -- ARE YOU DOING WELL? -- STOP-- ARE THE CHILDREN WELL? -- STOP -- AND MARIA? -- STOP -- SEE YOU SOON DEAREST -- STOP -- BARONESS SCHRAEDER -- STOP --

Georg went briskly out to their rather large 9-person car. They had gotten a new one. Georg almost did what he had done the day before, space out, but instead he was very precise and paid attention to what he was doing. No more did he sit in the passenger's seat, or need a reminder from Maria to remember what he was doing. He wished he did, however.

Once again, everything went wrong. Georg did but sigh.  
This place is very lovely. I like the colors surrounding all the..." she shuddered... "animals' cages. They're so beautiful," Elsa said.  
"Yes they are aren't they?" Maria looked at Elsa oddly.

Max, sensing something not very good, hurried them along. "Come along Elsa. Let's see the bunny rabbits."

"Oh yes!" Elsa seemed relieved. "With their white fluffy bodies and pink ears-"

"They don't have to be white-" Brigitta butted in.

"Oh yes dear I know, but they are so cute with their teeth and the way they just nibble on their food-do you think they'll let us pick them up?"

"No." Brigitta said solemnly. "They never do."

"Oh yes of course dear."

Georg let this be, not everything could be different, he'd just have to deal with it. Again. Maybe next time he'd tell Brigitta to hush. Nicely, of course. As he walked, he thought about what he had just thought (A/N: That's metacognitive-something.) about. Had he really thought that this would happen again? It couldn't. It could. Would it? Could it? He got very nervous about this. How many times can this be repeated? Am I stuck in this hellhole forever? Is that even possible? Am I going crazy? All of these questions and more circled around and around in his head until he felt like he was on a roller coaster though he had never been on one before. He felt like he was spinning around and around when he was a little kid and had nothing else to do. Everything was happening too fast. Too many colors! Too many things to think about!!

He blacked out.

The children's sinring (and Maria's, of course) awakened him. Max had placed him on the couch near where the children were singing. What had happened?

"...soon their duet will become a trio..."

Oh, no, the song again. He dearly loved his children, and he knew they loved him back, and the same with his wife, and he loved their singing, because they sung beautifully, and they loved doing it...but...he had heard that song twice in his lifetime, and then there were those little times where Louisa or Brigitta or even Maria would hum it to themselves, and though Georg was not normally strict anymore, he would gruffly yet kindly ask them to stop. But this...again...he sunk his head back on the couch.

A/N: Not much left to say: Just that I'm done, and thank you for reading. Yes I finally updated. Anyway, thanx to u guys for reviewing, and hopefully I'll update soon.  
For the fans (ie. Updatinggood, nonupdatingbad)  
FACTOR A: I have lots of storiesnegative FACTOR B: I know where I'm going with thispositive FACTOR C: It is no longer humid where I live so the keyboards are no longer stickypositive FACTOR D: I am a horrible updaternegative.

What do you think, Wendell Wandificient, the marvelous magical magnificent (splendiferous) mathematician? (Don't ask)


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